The Times of Malta reports that a silicone mask was used to reconstruct the bearded Capuchin monk’s face, and his corpse was restored by medical examiners and biochemists in preparation for the thousands of devotees who attended the unveiling.

Padre Pio is tremendously popular in Italy. In fact, The New York Times has compared his following to that of Elvis Presley. “His portrait can be spotted in taxis, dry cleaners, post offices and fashion boutiques, he sells more magazines than the late Princess of Wales,” wrote the Times.

According to Reuters, Padre Pio’s life was shrouded in controversy due to his stigmata, “the bleeding wounds of Jesus’ crucifixion on his hands and feet.” There were also stories that he was once left bleeding and bruised after wrestling with the devil in his monastery cell.

According to an article in British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, once Padre Pio’s body was exhumed, some accused the Vatican of digging up the saint’s remains to cash in on tourism. Seven million visitors flock to Padre Pio’s sanctuary each year.

The Times of Malta reports that Saint Padre Pio’s exhumed body went on display in the small southern Italian town of San Giovanni Rotondo, drawing thousands of devotees. A silicone mask was used to reconstruct the bearded Capuchin monk’s face, and his corpse was restored by medical examiners and biochemists.

Reuters provides a list of facts about Padre Pio’s life, including a description of his stigmata, which consists of “wounds in the hands, feet and side that corresponded with the wounds Christ suffered at the Crucifixion.” Padre Pio hid his wounds with brown fingerless gloves during mass. Some accused him of faking the condition.

In March, St. Padre Pio’s body was exhumed from the sanctuary at San Giovanni Rotondo. Formalin had been injected into the monk’s body prior to burial to preserve it, leaving his remains in “surprisingly good condition,” according to Archbishop D’Ambrosio, who attended the exhumation.

British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reports that the Vatican was accused of “tampering with the dead” after Padre Pio’s exhumation. The Pro Padre Pio Association suggested that the Vatican dug up the saint’s remains to cash in on tourism by placing the body in a larger church. Seven million visitors flock to Padre Pio’s sanctuary each year, reports the article.

In October 2007, a new book by Italian historian Sergio Luzzatto claimed that Padre Pio’s stigmata were actually “self-inflicted wounds maintained with carbolic acid,” reported Melbourne newspaper The Age. Luzzatto used archived Vatican documents to substantiate his claims.

In 2002, Padre Pio was made a saint by Pope John Paul II, who was “said to have a special affection” for the monk. In fact, the Pope was said to have traveled to Padre Pio’s monastery for confession at one point. The Catholic Church recognized two miracles performed by Padre Pio, whose bleeding hands and feet never healed and couldn’t be explained by doctors.

Before Padre Pio entered sainthood, The New York Times reported on his overwhelming popularity in Italy, comparing his following to that of Elvis Presley. Portraits of Padre Pio could be found almost anywhere, and his image sold more magazines than Princess Diana.